Electronically-controlled POS terminals are well known, for example, cash registers, dispensing machines, and Automated Teller Machines (ATMs). A typical prior art terminal accepts a magnetically-striped access card or other means of authentication of user and account information such as a credit card, or other entry, such as a keyed code and data entry. A prior art terminal is a peripheral to a central electronic accounting system and designed to facilitate a financial transaction with outside systems such as banks, credit card companies, or other businesses.
What is needed in the art is method and apparatus whereby a stand-alone POS terminal may audit and control a document output device and communicate directly with one or more outside systems as may be desired without going through a central accounting or processing system.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a wholly-contained POS system that includes a least one document input and output device.